The Garden
by Bemac
Summary: AU: Katniss is left orphaned, both her parents lost due to a cholera epidemic that struck India. Sent to live at her Uncle's estate, Mockingjay Manor. The house is filled with mystery. Mysterious cries that fill the night and a mysterious garden that seems to have no door. Inspired by Secret Garden but with several differences.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Inspired by the book, Secret Garden but has several differences besides the obvious differences in names.**

**I hold no rights or ownership to The Hunger Games or Secret Garden.**

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"Number 43, Katniss Everdeen."

A small girl stepped forward, dressed in black as all the children behind her were, her dark braid hung limp down her back and she kept her eyes downward and kept her mouth firm in an ever-present scowl.

Silence. No one from the crowd standing in front of her stepped up. The children behind her giggled as, "Number 43, Katniss Everdeen," was called out a second time, the man spoke louder than before and his voice seemed to echo against the walls.

No one came.

The man peered down at her, "Take a seat to the side, please," He said with a sigh.

The small girl took her bag and sat on a cold bench. She listened to the rest of the names being called, the children who, like her had lost their parents during the cholera epidemic in India. Every other time a name was called someone stepped up to claim him or her.

When all the names had been called the man stayed with her, both staying silent, they waited.

Would someone ever come?

The man was beginning to worry that he'd have to drop her off at the orphanage until whatever relative or guardian she had was contacted, but then at last, someone appeared.

The lady seemed to be in a hurry and she made no apology for her tardiness, she took a sweeping look of the small sour-looking girl, "Is this Miss. Everdeen?"

The man flipped through the pages, "43," He mumbled as he scanned the page, "Yes, 43, Katniss Everdeen."

"Gracious if she isn't a sickly looking thing," The lady said looking closer at the girl who was now glaring back at her with cold gray eyes.

"Are you-" The man started but the lady interrupted him.

"I am Mrs. Trinket the housekeeper to her Uncle, Lord Seneca Crane of Mockingjay Manor," Mrs. Trinket tilted the girl's chin, taking in her sickly complexion with a sigh, "Her Mother and the late Lady Crane were sisters, twins. Both were considered beauties," Another disappointed glance at the girl and shook her head, "Pity she doesn't seem to inherited any of their looks."

"Oh, you never know, ma'am," He said, with an air of one trying to sell or get rid of something, "She might grow out of this awkward stage."

Mrs. Trinket scoffed, "Well there's nothing at Mockingjay Manor that will help her with that. As dreary and cold as the moors it is."

The man requested her signature on the line next to Katniss Everdeen's name, which Mrs. Trinket did with a flourish then motioned with her head, "Come on then, Miss. Everdeen."

The small girl picked up her bag and followed.

The carriage ride was long. Mrs. Trinket had brought some cold chicken and bread that cook had wrapped up for the both of them, when she offered it to Katniss the girl fixed Mrs. Trinket with another cold stare before turning to look out the window.

"There's no room at Mockingjay Manor for this sour disposition, Miss. Everdeen. I don't know what you are used to but none of us have the time to be fussing after you."

Katniss did not respond, she kept her gaze out the window, watching the foreign landscape go by. The gray clouds hung low over the English Moors.

They had been traveling for hours, the sun was probably going to set soon but Katniss saw no way of knowing because she had yet to see the sun since arriving in English.

Using the sharp voice she was accustomed to using with her servants she asked, "Are there always so many clouds here?"

"Don't whine. Of course it isn't always so cloudy. Sunshine doesn't help the moors though," She said looking out briefly at the moors with obvious distain, "Nothing for miles and miles."

The girl looked back out the window, it didn't seem like 'nothing', there was grass which was now a dull almost grayish color with shadowy rocks poking out from the low lying hills.

Darkness settled over everything but they kept traveling on and on.

Katniss was just starting to drift asleep when Mrs. Trinket spoke, pointing out the little village that was closest to Mockingjay Manor.

"Less than three more miles to go now, Miss. Everdeen."

Katniss didn't answer.

They arrived at the Manor, it was dark so Katniss saw nothing but the front doorway and the butler who opened the door as they pulled up.

Mrs. Trinket shook out of her coat hat then looked at Katniss, she had made no move to remove her own outer things but stood still, as if waiting to be assisted.

With a huff Mrs. Trinket unbuttoned the coat and removed the girl's hat and hurriedly unwound the scarf from her neck.

"Take off your coat, girl," Mrs. Trinket said sharply when Katniss showed no sign of taking off her un-buttoned coat.

The girl glared at Mrs. Trinket then gave a shrug of her shoulders and her coat slide off her shoulders to the floor. Katniss then stepped away then looked at the butler, ordering him to pick up her coat with only a look.

"Right little Queen of Sheba you are, Missy," Mrs. Trinket said then gave Katniss's shoulders a little nudge, "Let's get you to your room, that's where you'll be taking your meals, someone will bring a platter up for you."

"Am I to see my Uncle?" Katniss asked.

"Goodness no, girl, he's not here. He's never home, especially in these winter months. He might be back come spring… Come along now."

Katniss was shown to her room, there was a front room served as a living room, with a small dinning table and a desk with bookshelves and two small couches, the back room was her sleeping and dressing area with a bed and wardrobe.

"You're to keep to these two rooms, no others, you understand? We have far too much to do as is and do not want you getting underfoot."

Mrs. Trinket left the room. Katniss only begun to take in her surroundings when the door opened again.

A girl came in, a maid dressed in a black dress with a full length skirt with a white apron, she had a smile on her face and looked quite young, maybe five years older than Katniss who was in her eleventh year.

"Evenin' to ye, Miss. Katniss. I'm Leevy. Brought somethin' up for thee," She said with a wide smile on her face.

"Are you my servant?" Katniss asked sharply.

The maid stalled for a moment, "Well, I's Mrs. Trinket's servant, but I think I'll be waitin' on ye abit."

"If you are waiting on me than that makes you my servant," Katniss said with a tone of authority. She walked over and looked down at the food brought in for her, her nose crinkled slightly at the unfamiliar food.

"Is thou not hungry?"

"You may prepare me for bed now," Katniss said walking away from the table. She then turned and stood still with her arms extended. When Leevy made no direct move to help, Katniss spoke more clearly, "You may undress me now."

"Can't thou undress thee self?"

"Of course not," Katniss said as if the maid were the stupid, "My Ayah always dresses and undresses me."

"If that isn't the silliest thing," Leevy said with amusement as she started unbuttoning the back of Katniss's dress.

"You are a very strange servant," Katniss mussed, more to herself.

"Aye, tis my Yorkshire," Leevy said referring to her accent, "Mrs. Trinket says she'd never've been able to hire me if this was a real manor, but since there be no Lady of the house and wit the Master's always away she can get away with having me about."

When Katniss's long nightgown was pulled over her head and fastened, Katniss looked at Leevy, "You may turn down my bed and leave now."

"Aye, Miss," Leevy said. After she had turned down the bed and stroked the fire a bit more she turned, "Ye 'ave a good night now."

Left alone in the rooms, Katniss moved to the food and picked at the options before taking the bread and nibbling on it while she looked around the room some more, holding a candle close to the bookshelf to read some of the titles.

The view from the window was inky black and Katniss could hardly make out the roof top that was just under her window.

With nothing else to do Katniss crawled into bed. She lay there for a while, listening to the wind.

The more she listened the more she started hearing a sound apart from the wind, it sounded like a wail. Someone crying.

"Who is that?" Katniss demanded aloud. Only to be answered with silence. In India, her Ayah would've been near her beside to see to her needs, but here there was no one. Mrs. Trinket had mentioned that her Uncle was away from home, so the only others in the house should be servants, what would make a servant cry so. The thought of a servant making such a fuss, loud enough to disturb her was extremely vexing.

Katniss looked around the room, she didn't even see a way of contacting the servants, no bell or pull cord.

Scowling she laid back on her pillow, pressing her hands over her ears to drown out the sound of the wind and of the cries until she was finally able to fall asleep.

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**A/N: Sorry for my attempt at a Yorkshire accent with Leevy. I tried a few different times but it always sounded (in my mind) like a cross between an old Scotish accent and some form of ganster ghetto talk or something... strange combo and I hope it didn't come across that way. **

**I'm really excited about this story and hope you liked the first chapter.**

**Reviews welcomed, naturally.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favorites. So happy that people seem interested in this story. Secret Garden has been a long time favorite of mine. I should have put an OOC warning on the first chapter, the characters are in vastly different situation than they were in the Hunger Games so it was kind of inevitable, I think. I'll try to be careful with my meddling with both the changes in character and the changes I'll be making to the storyline. Hope you all enjoy!**

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The next morning Leevy came in, stirred the fire and opened the thick curtains.

"Who was crying last night?" Katniss demanded as she sat up in bed.

Leevy became noticeably agitated, "Cryin' twant nobody crying."

"There was," Katniss insisted.

"Must've been the wind, Miss," Leevy said hurriedly, "Makes such an awful noise a comin' ov' the moors."

Katniss held her gaze steady on Leevy, looking very intimidating for one so small, "It was not the wind. It was someone crying."

"I brought thou's breakfast," She said setting down the breakfast tray next to the one she had brought the night before, she looked over the food that remained on her supper tray, most of it untouched, "Did't thou like your supper? Mrs. Trinket said ye didn't eat on the ride over."

"I will eat when I please," Katniss said sharply.

When Katniss made it obvious that she was wanting to be dressed for the day, Leevy sighed, "I shan't be able to dress ye everyday, Miss. Mrs. Trinket won't allow it."

"Than who will?" Katniss asked sharply.

"Thou's to do it thee self."

Katniss's black dress was buttoned and the black stash tied to her waist.

"You're to play outside today, Miss. Katniss, once done with breakfast."

"Am I to have no one to play with me?"

"Goodness, child. You don't need someone with ye to play. My brother, Gale can spend hours outside with none but himself, well, and the animals."

"Animals?" Katniss asked, curious.

"Aye, he's friends with them."

"That's ridiculous," Katniss said, annoyed with the maid's silliness. She had only seen people interact with animals when they intended to put them to some sort of use. To make friends with them sounded absolutely absurd, as if the animals had feelings or ability to show affection for a person. Her Ayah had told her of animal charmers that would cast a spell on the animals, but that was different, even the charmers weren't trying to be 'friends' with the animals.

Leevy gave her a small smile and her eyes twinkled a little, "You're likely as not to meet him, he's often around."

"Does he work here as well."

"No, Miss. He's just a lad yet, not much older than thee self."

Katniss went over to her breakfast tray and looked down her nose at her porridge. She ate a few bites of it then stood, signalling that she was finish. Leevy was still in the room, making the bed and she looked over at the small girl then walked over to the table.

"Thou art a strange child," She mussed, "I've seven brothers and sisters, anyone of 'em would've had this cleared in a trice."

"Seven?" Katniss asked.

"Aye, quite a houseful we are."

Leevy lead Katniss quickly through the hall. Even with the light of day now shed on the halls and rooms, everything still seemed dark, the daylight seemed to cast more shadows than light. Katniss took in her surroundings as she walked past large paintings and sculptures that lined the hall. Then down the large sweeping staircase that went to the front hall. Leevy then directed her down a small hall and into the kitchens. The cook and kitchen girl looked up from their work and eyed her curiously. Katniss's coat and wrappings were laid out on a small table near the back door.

Leevy helped her buddle up, "The winds a might chilly today but if thou keeps moving you'll be warm enough. Come back mid-day."

Katniss looked up at the sky, clouds, "Can't tell mid-day from any other time," She said with a huff and started walking away.

"Head down this path and then follow it to the right and you'll find the gardens," Leevy called to her.

Katniss followed Leevy's directions and soon came to the first of the gardens, nothing was growing, only trimmed hedges and ivy that sprawled across the walls and fences of the gardens. She came across several fountains, none of which were working, shut down for the winter.

She heard a scraping noise and paused, listening to it. Following the sound she wound her way around the gardens until she came across the source, a man hunched over the garden, using a small shovel to break up the dirt.

Katniss stood and stared at the man, who was unaware of her presence, until she broke the silence.

"What are you doing?" Katniss asked bluntly.

The man turned to better look at her, he had heard that the Master's niece was coming to stay but he had in mind that she would resemble the late Lady of the house, being the daughter of her twin and all, but this girl looked nothing like the bright and smiling Lady Crane.

"Readyin' the garden fer spring, Miss. Katniss."

Katniss took it as no surprise that the man knew her name, it was part of a servants job to be informed on such things.

"What is your name?" She asked, or rather demanded.

The man looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, "Haymitch, Miss. Katniss."

"Are you the only gardener here, Haymitch?" Katniss asked.

"Aye," Haymitch said then turned back to his work, "Plenty to do."

She stayed and watched him for a few minutes longer, not minding that he was ignoring her, she was just curious. In India there had been so much sand everywhere, she would go outside with a servant holding a parasol over her head as she would dig in the sand with a stick.

A robin landed on a piece of ivy and gave a little song.

Katniss didn't know it but her eyes brightened at the sight of the bird with the bright breast and sweet song.

Haymitch whistled back to the robin who then tweeted in response.

"He's curious about thee," Haymitch said.

The robin cocked his head to the side a bit as it looked at the girl.

"You can't know that he is," Katniss said sharply, "You couldn't have possibly understood him."

Haymitch gave her a shrug of his shoulders and returned to his work.

Katniss focused on the bird again, he sang his little song again and it seemed to Katniss as if he was singing to her.

When his song ended he stayed silent.

Katniss gave a quiet little whistle in response, which caused Haymitch to smile to himself as he kept his head down. The robin twittered back to her and then flew away.

Katniss scoffed when the bird flew away, she turned her attention back to Haymitch but she soon left, taking another path that led to more gardens.

When she felt that a good portion of the day had passed she returned to pick at her food up in her room before being ushered back outside again.

That evening after eating a bit of supper in her room, Katniss heard the crying again. She opened the door a crack and peered out. She caught a glimpse of someone hurrying down the hall, she waited for a moment longer before slowly stepping out and closing her door. The cries seemed to stop for a moment but then they began again. Katniss turned and tried to follow the sound as best she could but the hallways seemed almost a maze with the dim lighting.

All the sudden someone bumped into Katniss.

Mrs. Trinket sputtered as she steadied herself, she had been walking the dark halls with confidence having traveled them so often and had not seen the girl.

"Good gracious!" She roared when she realized Katniss was out of her room, "What is this child doing out?!"

"I heard crying," Katniss answered.

"Don't be ridiculous. Get back to bed at once!" She roughly grabbed Katniss's arm and dragged her back to her room, a high pitched screech followed by obvious sobbing filled the air.

Mrs. Trinket opened the door and gave her a nudge to hurry in before closing the door firmly.

She went to bed determined to get an answer, a proper answer, from Leevy in the morning.

As Leevy was opening the curtains, Katniss approached her, "I heard the crying again."

"It must've been the wind-"

"It wasn't the wind, it was crying. I know it was. Who was it?"

"Must've been the cook."

"The cook?" Katniss asked disbelievingly.

"Aye, the cook, Sae, she's 'ad a terrible toothache."

Katniss's mouth was drawn in a thin scowl, she was being lied to.

"Go on an' eat thee breakfast," Leevy said and turned her attention back to tying back the curtains.

Mrs. Trinket burst into the room, "Leevy, there you are, girl." She then took in Katniss still seated and only a couple of spoonfuls into her porridge. "What is she still doing in here? Get this child out at once."

Katniss was pulled up from her chair and hustled down the stairs and to the kitchen door where Leevy made quick work of getting her bundled up, she gave her a small roll from a plate on the counter, "Case ye get hungry." Then helped her wrap it up in a handkerchief and tuck it in her pocket. Then hurried her out the door.

'This house is so strange' Katniss thought as she made her way back through the gardens.

She looked for the robins again, but didn't see him though she did come across Haymitch the gardener again. He gave her a small nod in acknowledgement before she continued on. The paths around the garden were starting to seem familiar but it was hard to tell because there were so many of them and some looked similar to one another, all filled with bare trees, hedges and ivy, nothing more. Having spent her whole life in the Thar Desert of India, Katniss couldn't believe that there would ever be more to the gardens than this.

Before she went inside for mid-day, Katniss broke a piece off her roll and crumbled it up on top of a large stone, hoping the robin would like it.

As she made her way back to the house she heard the sound of someone coming up the drive, horse hooves clopped on the hard ground and carriage wheels creaked as they rolled closer to the house.

As Leevy was showing her back up to her room, Katniss caught a glance of a strange carriage resting outside the front door.

"Who is that?" She asked.

"No one, Miss," Leevy said quickly.

"It is clearly someone."

"Just business for Mrs. Trinket, Miss."

Katniss dawdled a little as she walked up to her room, trying to catch a glimpse of the visitor, but Leevy hurried her along.

"Eat up quickly now. I'll be back in a bit."

She closed the door as she left Katniss alone.

There definitely was something strange about this house.

Katniss had a bit more interest in her food than she had previously, the smells made her feel hungry, the exertion of walking and the hours spent in the fresh air was already sparking her appetite.

In the afternoon the clouds seemed to be hanging even lower and darker, when Leevy put her out she had called after her to hurry inside if it started raining.

Katniss wound her way through the gardens until she came to the stone she had put the bread on. She smiled when she saw that it was gone, then she looked up, searching for a sign of the robin but found none.

Katniss silently wandered the gardens alone for a while when she suddenly heard the familiar twittering of Robin. She immediately looked towards the sound and saw him perched near the top of a tree growing behind a tall garden wall.

"Hello there," Katniss said aloud. The tone in her voice was light, not the harsh cold tone she had usually used, if any of the servants had been near they might not have recognized her voice at all.

Robin twittered some more and pranced a little on the branch.

"Did you like the bread I left you?" She asked timidly. She had never done anything to help another, even something as little and seemingly insignificant as feeding the birds. Her servants in India always done everything for her, so she didn't even have to do anything for herself, let alone for others.

Robin continued to prance around on the tree branch before he flew down to a lower branch, hidden behind the wall.

When he didn't fly back up again, Katniss started walking along the wall, searching for a doorway or passage to get into the garden that held the Robin's tree. She followed the path around the garden, winding through the different passageways trying to find a door. After she circled around the garden, ending right back where she had started. She let out a huff in annoyance, from what she could tell the walls of the garden contained nothing but the ivy that covered them, no sign of any opening or doorway at all.

"Well how do you expect me to get in there?" She snapped when she saw Robin fly back to a high branch of his tree, looking at her expectantly. She stalked away, muttering, "Stupid, Robin."

She sought and found Haymitch near one of the back gardens.

"There is a garden I cannot get into," Katniss said, not bothering with announcing herself.

Haymitch looked over his shoulder for a second before looking back down, he knew right away which garden she was referring to, "No one goes in there."

"But _I _want to."

He shrugged his shoulders but didn't look back at her, "Doesn't have a door."

"Of course it has a door. It has to have a door somewhere."

"Don't you go bothering that garden."

"And why shouldn't I? It's just a garden."

"It was her garden."

Katniss was silent as she thought for a moment, "My Aunt?"

"Aye. The Master locked it up after she died… He hates that garden."

"Hates a garden?" She asked in near disbelief, how could anyone hate a garden. Then she picked up on the words that Haymitch had used, "He locked it up? If there's a lock than must be a door."

Haymitch twisted his body around to look at her as she walked away, "Silly little busybody." Then he looked up at the clouds still gathering low. Robin landed on the branch of the bush he'd been trimming. Haymitch looked over at the Robin. "Might get a bit of a freeze with this storm," He spoke to Robin, "Should be one of the last of the season."

He started gathering up his tools and was able to get to his small cottage behind the gardens before the cold rain started falling. Striking the flint to get the coals lit before settling down in a chair near the stove, he opened up his bottle of whiskey to relax for the evening. The weather often caused his arthritis to up and a good drink at the end of the day helped calm his bones.

Katniss, not able to read the weather as well as Haymitch, was a good distance from the house when the rains started, she ran all the way to the kitchen door where Leevy was standing waiting.

The maid helped Katniss out of her wrappings and coat and gave them to cook to hang by the fire.

The run to the house had brought a flush to Katniss's cheeks, she moved to the stove to warm her hands. The cook looked her over once, noticing the healthy color to her cheeks, but said nothing.

Leevy showed her to her room and stroked the fire and then returned to help in the kitchen.

"That fresh air is doing that child a world of good," The cook, Sae said as Leevy re-entered the kitchen, "Hardly imagine she got much good air in such a wild place as India."

"It be excitin' to be in such a place, I'd imagine," Leevy said helping to arrange the two trays before they're brought up.

"Imagining such things will do you no good, Leevy," Mrs. Trinket said sharply, "You're not likely to go to London, never mind India."

"Judgin' by Miss. Katniss, it can't be a place that'd be good for one," Sae added, "Seems to be such a sour little thing."

"Yes, well," Mrs. Trinket said, never one to mind gossip, "Obviously the Mothers' charm didn't get passed down to either."

She then took the first tray and went to deliver it, cotton mask draped over her shoulder ready to put on before she entered the room.

"I do feel sorry for the poor things, loosing their Mothers."

"Aye," Sae agreed.

Leevy picked up the second tray and brought it up to Katniss.

"Here ye are, Miss. Katniss," She said setting the tray on the table. She noticed that the girl had changed dresses, the damp dress was laying on the floor, the wet stockings lay a few feet away from them in another pile.

She moved to pick those up while Katniss sat in her seat started eating almost right away.

Leevy observed the girl's increase appetite with a smile as she added to the fire, ensuring a warm blaze to help warm her after being in the cold rain.

"Leevy," Katniss said, putting down her fork, "Tell me about my Aunt's garden."

Hesitantly Leevy shared a bit of her knowledge, "She died long before I started here, but I heard it twas her favorite place in the world. The Master closed it up after she died. I heard he couldn't stand the thought of her garden living on without her."

"I couldn't find a door."

"Thou shadn't go lookin' for it now, Miss. Katniss. Master Craven locked it up and buried the key."

Katniss turned back to her food, she had no plans to take Leevy and Haymitch's advice to leave the garden alone, she was feeling almost a pull towards the garden, like it wanted to be found.


	3. Chapter 3

It rained all night and the next day before turning into freezing rain the following night. It was the sound of the freezing rain hitting her windows that woke Katniss after she had been asleep for a few hours. As she laid still and listened to the freezing rain and the wind blowing she heard it again, the crying. The sound must carry through the whole house.

Throwing the covers off her she swung her legs around and slipped her feet into her slippers.

Clutching her robe tightly around her she set off quietly down the hall. Twice, she had to duck back behind a statue as a figure went rushing past. She wandered around the labyrinth of hallways, trying to follow the cries. Occasionally they would stop and Katniss would have to pause, the cries would inevitably start back up again and she would continue following them.

She caught a glimpse of Mrs. Trinket pulling aside an old tapestry and rushing through a doorway that had been concealed. The light that shone from the doorway before the tapestry fell back into place and the cries and screams were obviously coming from that room.

Deciding to be patient and wait until Mrs. Trinket left the room, she crouched down in the shadows behind a solid table holding a large vase, leaning against the wall and waited. Several minutes later, Mrs. Trinket appeared again, she rushed past muttering to herself.

Katniss quietly rose from her hiding spot and moved towards the tapestry that was concealing the door and slipped in.

The room was quiet apart from the someone sniffling.

Katniss peered around the corner, looking into someone's bedroom. The thought that this was inappropriate, walking into someone's bedroom without knocking or announcing herself at the very least, never crossed Katniss's mind.

A large ornately carved bed stood on the other side of the room, there were a few candles lit around the room but the top of the bed was in a shadow.

The person in the bed sniffled again and gave a soft whimper sound before thrashing around a little.

"Who's there?" A voice called out to Katniss, a young girl's voice, making Katniss jump slightly at being caught. "Who's there?" The girl demanded again.

Katniss stepped forward out of the hall.

"Come closer," The girl demanded.

Katniss walked to the bottom of the bed and she looked up into the face of a small girl with pale hair and a scrawny sickly face that looked as white as the sheets on her bed.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The girl demanded.

"I live here," Katniss said, "I am Katniss Everdeen. Lord Crane is my Uncle."

The girl looked surprised, "I am Primrose Crane, Lord Crane is my Father…No one told me you lived here."

"No one said anything about you either."

The young girl, Primrose settled back into her pillows, "Of course not," She looked back up at her cousin, "They know that I don't like people to look at me."

"Why should you care if people look at you?"

"I don't like the _way_ they look at me. They all know I'm going to die, I can see it in their faces," This was said with an air of finality that was disturbing in one so young. It was hard to tell but the girl seemed several years younger than her cousin.

"You're dying?" Katniss asked, without any concern of seeming rude as she raised a disbelieving eyebrow, "From what?"

Primrose shrugged her thin shoulders, "Everything. That's what the doctors say."

"That is ridiculous, no one can die from everything," Katniss said, slightly annoyed at the dramatics this girl was putting on.

"What do you know," Primrose snapped, as she angered red splotches flushed on her face, standing out against her pale and waxen looking skin, "I _am_ going to die."

Katniss crossed her arms and looked around at all the bottles of medicine and strange instruments then back at Primrose, "Why do you keep crying? I can hear you clear on the other side of the house."

Primrose didn't answer her cousin as to what caused her to cry, instead she sat up slightly, "Plump my pillows for me."

"You want me to what?" Katniss asked, her expression turning sour.

"Plump my pillows… And fix my blankets, they're all twisted."

Katniss looked down at the girl's bed, "Well I don't know what to do about it. And who are you to boss me around so, I am not here to serve you."

"Everyone is to do as I say. While my Father is away I am in charge of this house."

The statement sounded practically pitiable coming from such an obviously young and weak thing, as if she could ever have run of a house let alone a grand manor such as this one.

"Mrs. Trinket seems to be the one in charge to me," Katniss said almost mockingly.

"Only because I allow it," Primrose said with force, glaring at her cousin, she looked over her face trying to guess her age, "How old are you?" She demanded.

"Eleven," Katniss answered, "How old are you?"

"Nine," Primrose said and then added with a sigh, "The doctors say that I probably won't make it to ten… They think I'm sleeping and I hear them talk about me. They say I'm too weak." The slight little girl gave another sigh, clearing wallowing in self-pity.

"If everyone was telling me I was going to die, I wouldn't do it, just to spite them," Katniss said, annoyed that the young girl kept talking about dying.

The sound of quickly approaching footsteps caused both cousins to start.

"Quick, hide. That'll be Mrs. Trinket. She won't want you in here," Primrose said.

Katniss ducked behind a large arm-chair in the corner just as Mrs. Trinket came into the room.

"Here, Mistress Primrose," Mrs. Trinket said, setting down a small tray with another bottle of medicine, "It'll be two spoonfuls of this now."

"I don't want it," Primrose snapped.

"Come now, it'll help calm the nerves," Mrs. Trinket said in as soothing a voice as she could manage.

The two argued back and forth for several more minutes. Katniss shifted slightly in her hiding place, feeling annoyed at Primrose for arguing with Mrs. Trinket.

'Just take the blasted stuff and she'll leave," Katniss thought angrily, annoyed that she had to continue hiding.

Finally Primrose relented and accepted the medicine. Mrs. Trinket fussed a bit more, fluffing pillows and straightening the girls blankets before leaving.

Katniss stood up, "Took you long enough," She said with a huff, "I was left to stay crouched down and uncomfortable while you put up a fit over nothing."

"It wasn't _nothing,"_ Primrose countered, "I don't like that medicine."

Primrose was a little shocked at how Katniss was speaking to her, no one ever snapped at her, the servants and doctors always spoke to her with hushed voices, as if she were on her deathbed.

Katniss rolled her eyes, still annoyed that Primrose had put up such a fight while she was forced to stay hidden.

"It makes me sleepy," Primrose said and gave a long yawn."

"Well if you _are_ finally going to go to sleep then maybe you won't wake me with your awful crying again," Katniss said and turned to leave the room.

"I haven't dismissed you yet."

Katniss spun around, "Dismiss me?!"

"Yes," The young girl and then gave a small wave of her pale hand, "You may go."

Katniss stormed out of the room, flinging the tapestry aside.

'Who does she think she is?' Katniss thought angrily as she went back to her room, 'Dismissing _me_.'

One look out the window in the morning told Katniss that it would be another inside day. She stared out the window for a while longer, her window faced the gardens, she felt disappointed that she couldn't see the locked garden from her window but that only added to the mystery.

Katniss spent the morning in her room alone apart from when Leevy arrived to bring her food tray.

As the afternoon was slowly passing by, Katniss decided to try to sneak into Primrose's room again.

She managed to retrace her steps from the night before and quietly entered the room.

"Miss. Katniss!" Leevy gasped as Katniss peered around the corner.

Leevy had been sitting in a chair reading a book aloud to Primrose.

"What's thou doing here?" Leevy said quickly standing, "Thou's not to be here… Quick before Mrs. Trinket finds ye."

"No," Primrose said firmly from her place in bed, "She will stay. She is my cousin and I want her company."

Leevy's eyes went wide as she looked over at Primrose, "Mistress Primrose… you know about Miss. Katniss?"

"Yes, I do," Primrose said lifting her chin, "She will stay and keep me company."

"But-but Mrs. Trinket won't like it," Leevy said, biting her lip nervously.

"Then you need not tell her," Primrose said, "You may leave us and tell Mrs. Trinket that I am tired and resting, not to be disturbed."

Leevy hesitantly left the room. Primrose turned and looked at her cousin.

Katniss walked over and sat in the chair where Leevy had been sitting, she slouched down, "It's been raining forever."

"The rain always gives me a headache."

Katniss ignored her cousin's reference to her poor health, "It hardly ever rained in India."

"India?" Primrose asked, obviously curious, "Is that where you are from?"

"Yes. My Father was an officer stationed there. My Ayah told me that I was still a baby when my Father, Mother and I arrived there."

"What was it like?"

"Dry," Katniss said, looking towards the windows that were covered with boards, "And hot… Why do you have boards on your windows?"

"I can't stand the sunshine."

"The sun never shines here," Katniss said with a huff.

"And to stop them from being opened. My lungs can't take the spores."

"Spores? What are spores?"

"They are in the air outside," Primrose said knowledgably, "When you breathe the spores get into your lungs and stay there. My lungs can't take them… Tell me more about India. What did your Father do?"

"He was an officer and worked for the government… I don't know exactly what he did. He was always busy, meeting people and going to parties."

Her Father had been a high-ranking officer, raising in ranks due to lineage rather than work, and served more as an ambassador of sorts for the English Government, setting an example of how a proper English gentlemen should act. Her Mother had been well suited for the wife of such a man as all she had to do was smile and make herself agreeable. Katniss only heard about what her parents did by what her Ayah had told her, she would be brought to stand in front of them occasionally so they could get a look at her. Both her Mother and Father were so accustomed to being friendly with people that they used to give Katniss smiles and pretend to be interested in her for the short time she was with them. But as their daughter started throwing fits in an attempt to get their attention, they started ignoring her more and more. Before they died, her Ayah would bring her to them for their daily meeting as they were preparing for an evening out. Her Mother would sit at her dressing table fussing with her hair or jewelry and her Father would be fastening his cufflinks. They would offer her sometimes a kiss on the cheek before leaving but would ignore her otherwise.

"What did it look like?" Primrose asked, curious about the foreign land.

"Lots of sand… hardly anything grows. I was never allowed to be outside for too long because it was always so hot."

"I would like to see a picture of it… I'll bet that my Father has a book about it in the library. You should go find one for me."

Not liking being bossed around, Katniss answered sharply, "I've never seen the library. I'm only supposed to be in my bedroom, I wouldn't know where to find it."

"I've never been there either. I've never been out of this bed."

"Never?" Katniss asked with disbelief.

"No, never," Primrose said.

"Can't you walk?"

"No, my back is too weak."

The two cousins talked for a while, sometimes getting angry and snapping at one another but otherwise getting along reasonably well.

It was over an hour later that Leevy rushed back up, "Mrs. Trinket is on her way up now, Mistress… Miss. Katniss, you ought to hurry back to your room."

"You will come again tomorrow," Primrose said, not asking.

Leevy was able to hurry Katniss back to her room without being seen.

"I'll be back in a bit with your supper, Miss. Katniss."

Katniss was left alone again, she went to the window and peered out, the rains appeared to have stopped though everything was still clearly wet.

Overnight the wet ground froze making everything icy white.

"Mind you don't slip," Leevy said as she tied Katniss's scarf tight and secured her hat on her head.

The grass crunched under her feet as she walked along, she walked with a purpose, knowing exactly where she was going. She was going to search the walls of the locked garden, set on finding the door.

Haymitch watched the girl circling around the garden, searching. He shook his head, thinking that she had to give up eventually and even if she found the door she'd still be without the key. No one had been with or seen Master Crane when he had locked the garden a final time and buried the key, so none but him knew where it was buried.

He kept close, tending the nearby gardens for the full morning that she searched. Her search in the afternoon was cut short by Leevy calling out to her. The maid looked frantic, "Oh, Miss. Katniss. Please hurry," She took Katniss's arm and hurried her inside. Leevy lowered her voice, "It's Mistress Primrose, she's screaming and kicking up a right fit. Expecting you to visit her… Mrs. Trinket is out in the village for a moment, she'll be back in less than an hour. Oh, do please try to calm her."

Primrose's screeches could be heard as soon as they left the kitchen. Katniss stormed up the stairs and down the halls ways.

"You can't sit there and summon me!" Katniss said stomping her foot.

"I told you to visit me again today! You weren't coming, I had to summon you."

Katniss crossed her arms tightly in front of her body and scowled at the girl.

"This is my house and everyone in it has to do as I say," Primrose lifted her chin slightly and stared at her cousin.

"I don't do what anyone says," Katniss said and spun on her heel and started to walk out the door.

"If you leave I will scream and scream until I die!" Prim yelled after her. Katniss looked back over at her and saw the red flush splotching on her face and her whole body heaving as she started preparing to throw a tantrum.

"Fine," Katniss said and stalked back to a chair, "I will stay, but I won't look at you or talk to you. I will keep my eyes on the floor and clench my teeth together."

She said down and turned her eyes to the floor, the sour expression resembled that which she wore for the whole boat ride from India.

"You will talk to me!" Primrose shouted.

Katniss didn't answer, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"You will! You must!" Primrose started thrashing about throwing pillows and blankets everywhere.

Leevy came rushing to her bedside, "Mistress Primrose, what is it?! What's thou need?"

Primrose kept screaming and kicking her legs and flailing her arms about, actually smacking Leevy across the face when the poor maid got in the way.

Katniss stood up and screamed at her younger cousin, "You are so spoiled! I hate you!"

Primrose was shocked into silence for a moment, no one had ever yelled at her before, she soon found her voice, "You can't talk to me like that? You have to do what I say! I'm sick!"

"Anyone who can make such a fuss over nothing is not sick or dying, so stop talking about it!" Katniss snapped then stormed to the door. She took a slow breath the turned, "I will come and visit you after supper but if you cry or throw a fit, I promise that I won't come back for weeks."

Leevy stood still, shocked, not only that someone had dared to talk that way to Mistress Primrose but also that Primrose was still sitting in bed quietly several minutes after Katniss left. Timidly, she began to move again, she sat in the chair as asked if she wanted her to continue with the story she'd been reading.

Primrose gave a small nod and leaned back against her pillows.

The two cousin developed a routine, after supper Katniss would sneak into visit with Primrose for about an hour before returning to her room. It was during time that Mrs. Trinket would take her supper and Leevy acted as a look out of sorts to prevent the housekeeper from finding out.

Mrs. Trinket definitely noticed that something was different, most noticeable was with Primrose, she would still throw fits, yell and cry, but they didn't happen as often and they seemed much less hysteric. Her fits that used to last for well over an hour, now only seemed to take twenty minutes or so before the child was calm. Instead of thinking that the change in the young girl was a positive sign in her health and overall person, Mrs. Trinket thought that she was getting weaker and physically unable to shout and cry for so long. When Mrs. Trinket made mention of this new development to poor Primrose's failing health to Leevy, "She has no energy at all anymore," She had said with a sigh.

Leevy, who had also noticed the change in Primrose's tantrums and fits but unlike Mrs. Trinket she knew the real reason for this change, but she held her tongue about the secret visits from her cousin and instead said, "Perhaps tis a phase the Mistress is growin' out of."

"A phase that's lasted all these nine years?" Mrs. Trinket asked with a tone of obvious disbelief, "No, she's getting weaker. No doubt the Master will find her much altered when he returns… I've almost a mind to write to alert him, incase her condition worsens."

"I'd hold off for a bit," Leevy urged, "See how things turn out."

* * *

**So... I promise that Peeta will be in this story... Promise. **


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